Man Accused of Setting Wife on Fire Arrested

Posted by Warren Krech on June 19, 2013

The man accused of setting his wife on fire at their Higbee home has been arrested.

Randolph County Sheriff Mark Nichols says 46-year-old Willard Hunt was discovered walking on the railroad tracks by a private citizen at about 8:30 Tuesday night five miles west of town on Route B. Nichols said the person asked Hunt who he was, and then told him to stay there until police showed up.

Deputies were able to quickly arrest Hunt without incident.

Right now Hunt is only charged with arson, but Sheriff Nichols says armed criminal action and first degree assault charges could be coming soon. He is being held on $200,000 bond in the Randolph County Jail.

Hunt allegedly threw gasoline in his wife Connie’s face at about 4:00 Monday afternoon, then set their home at South Randolph Street on fire.

The victim, Connie Hunt, is reported to be in critical condition in a Columbia hospital.